Manager for Language Services

City of New York•New York, NY

80d•$65,000 - $75,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) was established in 1984 and incorporated into the New York City Charter in 2001 to promote the economic, civic, and social integration of immigrant New Yorkers, expand access to justice, and advance policies that strengthen immigrant communities across the city. MOIA serves as a bridge between city government and immigrant communities by advising on and supporting the development and implementation of policies and programs that improve access to services for immigrant New Yorkers and speakers of other languages. The office partners with City agencies and community organizations to strengthen language access, expand equitable access to services, and advance initiatives that support immigrant communities citywide. The Manager, Language Services plays a critical role on MOIA's Language Services team, ensuring that City agencies, Mayoral Offices, and the public have reliable access to high-quality translation and interpretation services. MOIA provides document translation and in-person interpretation to all Mayoral Offices and supports City agencies as needed, while ensuring that events and materials remain accessible to limited English speakers and that telephonic interpretation is readily available to agency staff. The Manager manages the full lifecycle of incoming translation and interpretation requests assigning work to Language Access Specialists, tracking progress, and ensuring requests are completed accurately and on time. The role requires close coordination with internal staff, external vendors, and City partners in a fast-paced environment where priorities can shift quickly.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required.
Hands-on experience in project management, preferably in a language services or fast-paced coordination role.
Hands-on experience in project management.
Native fluency in one of the top 10 City-designated languages (Arabic, Bangla, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, or Urdu).
Proficient in computer skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).
Familiar with CAT tools and translation management platforms such as Smartling.
Experience using WebEx, Zoom, and/or Microsoft Teams.
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in "1" above.

Nice To Haves

Adaptable, thinks on their feet, and manages challenging interactions with professionalism and composure, even under tight deadlines.
Strong organizational and time management skills, sound judgment, and a positive, growth-oriented mindset.
Comfortable engaging with colleagues at all organizational levels and motivated by MOIA's mission of serving immigrant communities.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary point of contact for City clients, partners, and linguistic resources, including vendors and internal staff.
Manage end-to-end translation projects from intake through delivery.
Lead translation of MOIA's website content and other public-facing materials.
Coordinate interpretation requests and provide technical support for virtual interpretation events.
Serve as backup for urgent and after-hours language access requests.
Manage end-to-end translation projects, following internal guidelines to set up new requests and communicate relevant details to all stakeholders.
Lead the translation process for MOIA's website content using Smartling.
Respond to translation requests, gather additional project information as needed, and deliver final translations in line with project instructions.
Process, track, and troubleshoot projects, communicating status updates to requesters and supervisors.
Serve as backup for coordination of interpretation requests.
Provide assistance for events requiring interpretation, including coordinating interpreters and setting up and distributing equipment.
Assist with technical support for virtual interpretation events through Zoom, WebEx, Teams, and similar platforms.
Liaise with City clients, partners, and linguistic resources, including vendors and internal staff.
Coordinate with internal Language Access Specialists and external vendors to ensure smooth project execution.
Provide technical assistance on language services to MOIA, Mayoral Offices, City Hall, and City agencies.
Serve as backup for urgent and rapid response requests that may occur after hours and during weekends.
Perform other related assignments and special projects, as directed.